


The Boy Who Slept At Last

by SigmaEnigma



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Sleep, Teaching, sleepover, understanding human concepts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 20:18:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1123961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SigmaEnigma/pseuds/SigmaEnigma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of The Sandman and the War of Dreams, Nightlight has a bit of trouble getting use to the concept of sleeping. Luckily, Katherine is there to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Boy Who Slept At Last

                Nightlight felt an overwhelming sense of giddy, he sat in bed sharp and upright, waiting for it to come.  “It” being sleep, and from what Sandy had told him, it would be a wonderful journey.

                He was already in his newly acquired “armor” for this endeavor, a rather large night shirt and trousers, been given them by North once the jolly man had realized Nightlight had never needed proper sleepwear. Nightlight felt that the whole thing was a bit ridiculous, clothes for only sleeping in. But they were soft and he had to admit they were comfy as compared to his usual armor.

                He also found it strange that the room was so dark, how were people supposed to sleep in such a dark room, wouldn’t it worry them, and what if they got up to use the restroom and couldn’t see? Not that the room was entirely dark, as Nightlight’s legs still glowed brightly under the covers.

                Which was another odd thing that happened with sleep, blankets. People loved to sleep with many blankets and pillows. Even the young Tsar Lunar long ago -in the memories Nightlight had just been given that day- would be bundled in several blankets with and his head on extremely fluffy pillows.

                Nightlight pulled the pillow out from under him, pounding his hand against it. The pillow certainly felt fluffy enough.

                “Nightlight, are you still up?” He heard Katherine ask. She was in her own bed on the other side of the room, having been sleeping for some time as far as he was sure. Had he woken her with all his rustling, was silence something people needed to sleep? “It’s very late, are you having trouble sleeping?”

                When he nodded, she sighed and slowly crawled out of her own bed, walking jaggedly over to his own. When he could see her clearly, he noticed her eyes were closed. No, more squinting, as if something was in her eye.

                “Nightlight, please dim yourself.” She said with a yawn.

                He did so, apparently people did need darkness in order to sleep.

                “Thank you.” She opened her eyes slowly and smiled at him. “Now, sleeping is easy once you know how to do it.” She grabbed the pillow from his hands and placed it back behind him.

                “First, you need to lie down under the covers, not just sit.” Katherine couldn’t help but laugh at the embarrassment on Nightlight’s face and he slid under the blankets, vanishing if not for the flickering      glow she could still see through the fabric.

                “Not that low silly, you need to have your head out,” Katherine giggled. She lifted the blanket, smiling at Nightlight. He gestured for her then, waving at her to join him under the blankets. Katherine rolled her eyes and moved in next to Nightlight, pulling the covers down so that their heads were exposed. “See, this way you can breathe better.”

                 Nightlight had to admit, even with the blanket off his head, it was hard to breathe with Katherine so close.

                “Now, you close your eyes,” and with that, Katherine’s grey eyes vanished and her head rested close to Nightlight’s on the pillow. “And you think of calm and happy things.”

                But as he watched Katherine slowly drift off and away into dreaming, Nightlight felt there was still one thing left. He shook her arm, trying to pull her back to consciousness. Nightlight smiled apologetically as he saw her tired gaze. Before she could open her mouth to ask what the newly placed problem was, he leaned in close to her, hesitant and clumsy. Kissing her quickly on the lips.

                It was better than their technical first one which happened earlier that day. A lot less falling from great heights, as well as no outright impending doom. Though still slow and awkward and Nightlight was sure he closed his eyes after promising himself not to. Still, it was a kiss.

                A kiss which Katherine returned, all be it raggedly and on the corner of Nightlight’s mouth, rather than his cheek or actual lips.

                “G’d night…” Katherine trailed off, finally allowed to sleep at last. Nightlight listened to her breathing even and chuckled to himself as he saw her mouth twitch slightly as she slept.

                “Sweet dreams.” Nightlight whispered to her, wishing she had stayed awake just a bit longer to hear him.

                So Nightlight attempted to copy Katherine, relaxing his body as opposed to being rigid, shutting his eyes gently instead of squeezing them tight, and breathing slowly, as if trying to savor the last breaths of evening.

                As the tendrils of dreamsand filled the room and embraced Nightlight’s mind, they pulled him down slowly towards sleep. In truth, the whole aspect reminded him of falling. Although the kind of falling with no fear or sadness attached, due to the knowing that someone, somewhere would always be there to catch him. So he allowed himself to descend, farther and faster, until he settled into golden paradise.

                And at last Nightlight slept. 

 


End file.
